Sunday, 15 March 2015

“Is Academia a Refuge of the Rejects?” - Professor M.S.Rao

“It requires a lot of courage to
become an educator as it is not for everybody. If a parent is unworthy,
children are spoiled; if a doctor neglects his duty, the patient dies; if an
engineer performs poorly, the infrastructure collapses; and if an educator
makes a mistake, an entire generation is ruined.” – Professor M.S. Rao

It is often heard in Indian
educational institutions that academia is a refuge of the rejects which means
those who don’t get any opportunities in industry or rejected by other
professions become academicians ultimately. I would like to share my views on
this topic as I myself served as a professor in various educational
institutions.

The standard of Indian educational
institutions is often criticized by many people especially about the methods of
teaching, crafting of curriculum and execution of programs. People often blame
the methods of Indian education for dearth of employability skills in Indian
students. Very few dare to criticize the teachers and teaching profession
because teaching profession is highly respected across the world especially in
India where teachers are respected next to mother and father.

General perception is that most
educators enter into teaching profession if they don’t find right opportunities
in industry or in their chosen areas. Some of them join as a stopgap
arrangement and keep looking for employment offers in their passionate areas as
teaching profession is not a lucrative career. However, there are a few
educators who are passionate about teaching profession and pursue teaching as a
career to make a difference in the lives of students. There are innumerable challenges associated with
teaching profession. Educators are hardly compensated monetarily. They are
hardly respected by students. Presently students demand a lot from educators
and educational institutions. They don’t compromise with their expectations.
They don’t tolerate any inefficiency. They want better education, facilities
and employment offers. They demand the best
of everything. As employees demand more from their employers and children
demand more from their parents, students demand more from their educators.
Hence, it is a big challenge for most educators to rise up to the expectations
of students. Previously students respected educators because there is sanctity
attached to teaching profession. Presently, students respect educators who
deliver their goods effectively. Hence, challenges are high in teaching
profession, and only those educators stick to teaching who are passionate about
their profession and students. Those who are not passionate about this
profession quit this profession when they get better employment offers elsewhere
to try their luck there. Rest of them remain in this profession with an eye on
better employment offers elsewhere.

It is essential to make this
profession a lucrative career to get the best and retain the right talent to
improve education in India. Secondly, educators must be equipped with right
teaching tools and techniques to remain relevant and competent in the classrooms.
Thirdly, they must be provided with right academic ambience to pursue research
in their passionate areas to enable them to acquaint with the latest knowledge.
Taking these timely steps help educators
remain competent and confident and earn respect from students to continue in
this sacred profession.

“Your profession is not what brings
home your paycheck. Your profession is what you were put on earth to do. With
such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling.” -
Vincent Van Gogh

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